Power Hungry
by KeepCalmAndWatchAnime
Summary: Though biju's don't exist, the Akatsuki still does. They are the villages biggest threat, but everything in Konoha is peaceful. The elders aren't evil, the Uchiha clan was never murdered, and Naruto has a family. But peace in the village does not mean peace in the Uchiha household. Why is Itachi so close to Naruto and why did he run away with him? Warning: A few OOC characters
1. The Uchiha Family

**The new members of the Uchiha family**

**Aki- 6 (boy)**

**Izumi- (infant)**

**Warning: Certain characters may be OOC, mainly Sasuke and Naruto because having parents in their lives affects their personalities. And Itachi is different as well.**

* * *

"Naruto, do you think you're powerful?"

"Of course I do"

Itachi had always been closer to Naruto than Sasuke had been. He naturally connected to him, unlike his brother who hated even hearing his name. Naruto wasn't very fond of Sasuke either, claiming him as his rival before school even started . Naruto couldn't stand anyone that was stronger than him and his angry, borderline violent behavior, clashed with Sasuke's good boy attitude. Itachi didn't get along too well with Sasuke either, but ever since their dad died last year, a lot of things changed, and his relationship with Sasuke was one of them. Itachi went from being smiley and bubbly, to mute and rebellious, while Sasuke remained a happy go lucky star student.

"Do you think you're more powerful than Sasuke?"

Naruto groaned at the question. People always compared him to Sasuke because they were the top students at the Academy in ranking. But as strong as Naruto may be, he was always second best to Sasuke. Whether it was taijutsu, board games, popularity; Sasuke was always better, and it really got under his skin. Being the Hokage's son meant that he had to be number one, not second best. His parents were proud of him, but no matter how proud they were, that didn't mean anything. He wanted to be more adored than his rival, which was a pretty greedy desire because he got enough praise as it was. He was the Hokage's successful son after all.

"No! I wish I was! And the worse part is that my parents think my rivalry with Sasuke is unhealthy! What a bunch of crap!", he said as he picked up a rock and through it in the river.

"I agree. Nothing wrong with wanting to be the best"

"Exactly! And it's just so annoying! They're even making me write an apology letter to him because I refused to do that stupid handshake after we sparred against each other in class! Isn't that ridiculous?", the child protested.

"I understand. I never liked doing that when I was your age either. But did you win?"

"I never got to finish because Iruka sensei said the fight was getting too intense! Intense my ass!"

Itachi chuckled at Naruto's adorable rant. His rants were entertaining, and it was what made Naruto different from most seven year olds. He also liked Naruto's desire for mischief. He would go on and on about how he could easily prank all of the teachers at the academy, but never acted on it because he knew how his parents would react. It was one of the things he hated about being the Hokage's son. One small mistakes would disgrace his family name.

"I'm sick of Sasuke and Iruka! I want to know more than Sasuke! I want more acknowledgement from teachers! I want a fanclub like Sasuke! I want to be more powerful!"

"You don't need more acknowledgement from teachers than Sasuke, and you don't need a fanclub like Sasuke. Those things are superficial"

"Itachi, you know I don't like it when you use big words"

Itachi sighed. Sometimes he would forget that Naruto was only seven years old, and even though he didn't know the word "superficial" he didn't know a lot of words either. Even the easy one's that most seven year olds knew. Naruto's lack of understanding simple material was one of the things that made him weaker than Sasuke.

"Superficial means that you value things that don't matter in life. For example, people don't matter, but being smart does. Fancy clothes don't matter, but being strong does", Itachi explained.

"Now do you understand?"

"Eh...kind of", he said sounding slightly unsure.

"Naruto, your lack of understanding is what makes Sasuke stronger than you. Your taijutsu and ninjutsu can be great; that can make you strong. But if you aren't smart, and can easily be tricked, you will only be strong, but you won't be the strongest"

The blond nodded his head with a disappointed look. Even though he was clearly upset by what had been said to him, Itachi didn't care. The truth hurt, and the young fool needed to start realizing that things can't always be sugar coated. He sat down next to Itachi on the very edge of the dock, looking at his own reflection in the water.

The young boy's features were also something that Itachi found interesting. He had bright blond hair like his father, and skin that wasn't pale like most of the villagers. His eyes reminded him of a peaceful blue river, until he was angered, of course.

"How Itachi?...I'm doing everything I can to become stronger, but the process is so slow. And Sasuke picks up on things quicker than I do", he sulked.

"It's ok Naruto, I have a plan to make us both stronger", he said as he put a comforting arm around him.

"You do?", the blond said looking at him with excitement.

"Itachi!"

"Crap", Itachi grumbled.

Mikoto, Kushina, Aki, and Sasuke were walking towards them together. It was clear that Sasuke had snitched on where his where abouts, which angered Itachi even more. The sun was setting and it was getting late.

"What are you two boys doing?! It's getting late! I told you to be home before sundown Itachi!", his mother barked.

Itachi also took note of his mother's change in attitude after his father's death. She became more overprotective and easily angered, almost like a more in control version of Kushina.

"Naruto! You know better than to disobey your fathers rules too! You need to be home so you can go to bed on time!", Kushina roared.

Sasuke gave a look of satisfaction when he saw Itachi's angry face and how scared Naruto was. As kind and caring as Sasuke appeared to be on the outside, he also had a dark side too, and Naruto was the person who brought that side out the most. The best part of getting Naruto in trouble was watching how furious he would get afterwards, but watching him look scared out of his mind was even better. Sasuke had always been a snitch. He felt like it was his job to make sure everyone followed the rules. It was those qualities that would make him a great police officer like his father was.

"Sorry Naruto, I will tell you tomorrow", he said while smiling softly.

Yes, he was sad that he had to leave, he loved being around him more than anyone, and Sasuke ruining his whole plan made Itachi want to strangle him. He mouthed the words

"You're dead" as he walked with Naruto over to meet their mothers.

"Come along Naruto, we need to have a little talk!", Kushina said as she practically had to drag Naruto away from Itachi.

It looked as if his blond ray of sunshine was about to cry. The Uchiha waved goodbye to him as he walked away with his family listening to his mother nag him, but all Itachi could focus on was giving Sasuke the evil eye.

At that point, Sasuke regretted snitching, he didn't know Itachi would get this mad. Why is Itachi so glued to that blond loser anyways? And after dad's death, it seems like they have gotten closer than ever. I wish I got along with him the way Naruto does...but whenever I try to talk to him he shuts me down.

Before Itachi went to bed last night he snuck into his little brother's room.

"Like I said Sasuke, you're dead", he said after he creeped up behind him.

"Big brother I-"

"Tsk. Brother? Don't ever call me that"

"But-"

"You're a snitch. A snitch who can't stand seeing me with someone who has so much potential."

Sasuke gritted his teeth when Itachi talked about how great his rival was. It made him feel like he wasn't anything special.

"You have no clue how hard he works, you have no clue how much I care about him. He means well to me, and you can't stand that can you? You always have to be the center of attention. You always need everyone worshiping you at their hands and feet, telling you how great you are"

_Why does he care about him so much! Why can't he care about me the way he cares about Naruto? I'm not a brat! I don't ask for people to admire me, but If I could have just one person to admire me...it would be…_

"I don't care how many students, teachers, and friends admire me. I would trade all of that attention just for attention from you. Can't you see that nii-san?", he said softly.

His words didn't get through to him, and everything rolled down hill after that.


	2. Naruto vs Sasuke: The first battle

"Sasuke what happened to your eye?", Aki asked.

He was the sweetest little brother anyone could ask for. Like most Uchiha's, he was very gifted. He smiled even in the worse situations. He loved to draw and had an imagination like no other. So even if Itachi did despise him, he knew Aki would always have his back.

"Yeah Sasuke, what happened?", his mother asked worriedly.

"It wasn't there yesterday", his little brother pointed out.

"It's nothing"

"Was it big brother Itachi?", he questioned. Unfortunately, Sasuke couldn't lie to his younger brother or his mother.

"ITACHI!", the widow shouted furiously. The older brother walked into the room and rubbed his eyes from tiredness.

"Yes mother"

"Are you responsible for this?" , she said pointing to his injured brother.

"No", he said flatly as he turned away.

"You come back here Itachi! We're not done talking yet"

"If i didn't do it there is nothing to talk about"

"You did this. Nobody else but you did this. How dare you lie to me! How dare you hurt your own family member!"

"I no longer consider myself a member of this family"

And with that being said, he left the room, and before his mother could even catch up to him, he vanished. His mother walked back into the kitchen where the two young boys stood. She would deal with Sasuke later.

"Did he hurt you anywhere else?", she said as she checked his body for any other markings.

"Not really"

His mother stared at an odd shaped bruise on his abdomen. "Do you know why he did this to you?"

"He called me a snitch"

"Anything else?"

"He told me not to call him his brother anymore, and that I'm jealous of his friendship with Naruto. I don't even like that blond little loser, so why would I be jealous?!"

"Sasuke, don't call people names you know better. Naruto is the Hokage's son, and-"

"Yeah I know, I need to respect him the way I would respect the fourth", he grumbled.

"I like Naruto", his brother Aki added. Mikoto smiled, while Sasuke shook his head in disagreement. "You guys don't understand, he's crazy! All he ever does is talk about how he is gonna be stronger than me and become the next Hokage. He's loud, he babbles about ramen, and complains about how he should be a genin already. I don't know how anyone is able to be around him for longer than five minutes!"

His mother let out a stressful sigh. She was beginning to question why she had more than one kid, but she couldn't change it. Any minute now the baby would wake up and start crying, so she knew she had to make things quick when talking to the boys.

"Listen, I know you two are going through a lot. Sometimes because of something changing, other things change to. Your father not being around...has been causing your brother to act out, and I'm sorry that he is taking it out on you two. I'm sure that by next year he will be the same old loving brother that he used to be, but for now you are going to have to tell me if Itachi does anything bad. And as for Naruto, I know that he is...a bit different, everyone knows that by now. But what's important is that we learn to accept others and get along with one another. One day you might end up being on a team with him, and you two will have to learn to work together. It's called teamwork, and it is the most important thing to have during missions. Like Iruka has taught you 'Coming together is the beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success'. Don't ever forget that"

"So Itachi will play with me like he used to", Aki said with hope rising in his voice.

She didn't know why she would tell the boys that their brother would be back to normal by next year. She really shouldn't have gotten their hopes up, but she wanted them to think everything was under control. Obviously, everything was out of her hands. She couldn't control what type of person Itachi would become, and it was clear that Itachi was heading down the wrong path. He started staying out late alone, ditching important meetings, talking back, and Mikoto could only do so much to stop him.

"Yes", she said giving him a fake smile. Sasuke may have been seven years old, but he was no fool. He wasn't gonna believe his mother so easily.

"And what if he doesn't change. What if he does something so horrible that he has to leave"

His mother frowned, making Sasuke feel guilty. She knew what he was saying was possible, and that's what hurt the most.

"And if it happens, it happens. I can't control him. Everything that Itachi does will affect him later on in life, and if he makes a bad choice, then he suffers the consequences"

Sasuke looked into his mothers eyes with sadness. He didn't want anything bad to happen to his brother, but if his mother couldn't stop him, he probably couldn't either.

"If Itachi doesn't want to be the older brother, I'll be the older brother. I'll protect Aki, and I'll help take care of Izumi, just like Itachi used to", he said with a grin. His mother laughed and patted her son on his head.

"Thank you Sasuke, but for now, you can stick to protecting your younger brother Aki. When you are old enough, then you can start helping me take care of Izumi"

Sasuke nodded and then took his brother's hand. "Come on Aki, I'm going to show you the new jutsu I learned before I go to school"

* * *

"Hey Sasuke, what's your older brother Itachi doing here?", Sakura asked.

Sasuke looked over to see Itachi on the playground playing with Naruto. As usual, the idiot works so hard to take everything from me. My title as number one student at the academy is not enough for him is it? So to make me mad he clings to Itachi even more...or...Itachi clings to him? I can never tell. Why are they so close all the time?!

"I don't know", he said ignoring the question.

Personally, he didn't really like Sakura too much. She was obsessed with him, and like most girls, tried way too hard to impress him.

"Yeah, it's kind of weird. Naruto hangs out with your older brother all the time, and the only other people that Naruto will hang around is Shikamaru, Chouji, and Kiba, but that's only when your brother isn't around", another female student added.

"Yeah, it's like Itachi wants to keep Naruto all to himself, do you and Itachi even talk anymore?"

"I don't know". Sasuke's anger was really beginning to show, but clearly people couldn't take the hint.

"It's almost like those two are brothers. Itachi has liked being around Naruto since day one. I think that that's why Naruto has been getting so strong. I think your brother is teaching him some things Sasuke. You better watch out, or Naruto might beat you some da-"

"Can we talk about something else besides Naruto and Itachi", Sasuke snapped.

"I smell jealousy", Kiba said as he walked by the small group of kids under the tree.

"Shut up Kiba", Ino barked.

"What's the matter Sasuke? Sad that your brother likes Naruto more than he likes you? Afraid that Naruto is getting...stronger than you?", Kiba joked.

Sasuke gritted his teeth and tried to stay calm. It was what he was known for.

"You're asking to get your butt kicked aren't you dog boy?", Sakura defended.

"Ha, you think you can beat me?", Kiba said before letting out wild laughter. His friends laughed along with him.

"Maybe I can't, but I'm sure Sasuke can!"

They all stopped laughing, all accept for Kiba. "I don't know why you're still the one laughing", the raven said seriously. Kiba's laughter stopped.

"Well I'm not going to lie, you probably will beat me. But I know a friend who has a closer chance of taking you down".

"You think an idiot like Naruto can beat me?", he scoffed.

"Oh, so you're saying he can't?", Kiba challenged.

"He has no chance", Sasuke said confidently.

"Hey Naruto! Sasuke has something to say to you!", he hollered. Naruto stopped talking with Itachi and turned to face the two groups. Itachi and Naruto started walking towards them, and Sasuke started to feel a tightness in his stomach.

"Kiba, I really think we should just leave them alone"

"Shut up you wimp", he barked at his group member.

"What is it Sasuke", Naruto said impatiently.

"Nothing"

"Oh, so now you won't say it. Well Naruto, it sounded a little like 'You think an idiot like Naruto can beat me'. Am I right Sasuke?", Kiba said with a mischievous smirk.

The group under the tree went dead silent, and other academy students began to notice the conflict going on under the tree. Sasuke wished he had kept his mouth shut, because what was about to happen wasn't worth it.

"Alright, I've had it! Everyone thinks Sasuke is stronger than me! Even Sasuke agrees! So let's settle this right here, right now. Iruka's not around to stop us, so let's go", Naruto said preparing himself to fight.

"Don't be a coward Sasuke. You said what you said, and now you're going to have to prove it. Unless you want to run away like a baby and snitch to Iruka", his brother added on. By now almost everyone was off the playground and gathered around under the tree.

_"Show them who's boss Sasuke!"_

_"Kick his butt Naruto!"_

_"I bet that Naruto won't last one minute! Last time they fought, he got lucky"_

_"No way! Naruto will definitely beat Sasuke this time, you wait and see"_

"Anyone who doesn't want to get in trouble, follow me". A few girls felt guilty and moved away from the crowd to follow the brave girl who didn't want to be involved.

"Well what are you waiting for Sasuke! Fight me!", the blond shouted.

_"Beat this annoying kid Sasuke! Make sure he doesn't annoy anyone again!"_

Sasuke watched a few of his friends get up and walk away.

_"Hello! Earth to Sasuke! Your opponent is waiting!"_

"Or do you think I'm not a worthy opponent", he yelled at Sasuke with balled fists.

_"Hit em' already Naruto!"_

"You know what? I think I will!", the he said as he started charging at Sasuke.

Sasuke dodged the punch, and Naruto went flying past him. The blond turned around, and Sasuke was gone. Quickly, he looked to his left and his right.

_"Above you!"_, someone shouted.

Naruto turned around and saw him fly out from the tree above. Sasuke kicked him square in the face, causing the blond to fall backwards. His body hit the grass, but he got back up into fighting position after taking the fall.

_"Way to take a hit Naruto! You can do it!"_

"Kage bushin no jutsu"

Eight shadow clones lined up behind him, all of them running towards Sasuke, making it hard for him to keep up. It was hard to block every punch and kick that was thrown at him. He was skilled enough to eliminate about half of the shadow clones in less than a few minutes. One of them landed a hard hit in Sasuke's stomach, a hit that was strong enough to cause him to cough up blood.

_"Don't give up Sasuke!"_

Boom, another kick to the stomach, and then one to the back of the head. Sasuke jumped in the air throwing multiple shuriken, popping all of Naruto's clones.

"Go Naruto! Show them what hard work can do! Beat the Uchiha prodigy!", Lee shouted.

"I've had it! Sasuke shouted in rage. He began to weave hand signs that weren't very familiar to his opponent, and a stressed look appeared on Itachi's face as he could tell what was about to happen. _Sorry Naruto, but if you can't block this, then you're going to lose_

A large ball of fire was hurled right toward the boy. He saw his enemies expression, and guilt hit him. As much as he despised Naruto, he didn't want to hurt him this kids stopped cheering and chanting and started running. All of them got up and ran, except for Itachi and Naruto. Unfortunately when he jumped in the air to try and avoid it, his reaction was too slow, his feet up to his shins were severely burned.

The blond fell to the grass, curling his knees to his stomach in pain, screaming in agony. "Itachi", he cried. The genin walked over and picked the injured blond up from the ground.

"Shhh it's okay. You lost, but it's not over yet. You're taijutsu is strong and you strategized well. You just need a new jutsu to learn"

Sasuke watched as his brother comforted his blond enemy, and the feeling of victory was killed. Especially when he how wounded both of them were and how badly destroyed the area was. One of the trees burned down completely and most of the grass was no longer green.

Itachi gave his brother an evil look before walking away, still whispering to the crying blond.

"I'm sorry Itachi...I failed you", the blonde cried.

"It's okay Naruto. Yesterday I was about to tell you a plan that will help us become stronger. I think we're ready to put it to action", he whispered softly.


	3. Leaving the city

**Author's note: I think in one of the chapters I messed up Itachi's ninja rank in one of the chapters. Oh well, just to clarify, Itachi is an anbu.**

* * *

"So what is the meaning of this?"

The two rivals looked at each other viciously with their parents beside them. Itachi sat next to his mother with the same blank expression he always had. Kushina gave his son an angry look, and Mikoto did the same.

"Yeah Naruto, care to explain what made you think it was okay to fight on school grounds outside of class", Kushina said through gritted teeth. Minato let out a sigh and shook his head. The Hokage, the one who is supposed to be setting the best example for his son, is sitting in an office over a fight that his child got into? Minato couldn't feel anymore ashamed.

"I deeply apologize for my sons behavior", he said.

"And I apologize for both of my sons as well. Itachi, you were supposed to be at a meeting today, what were you doing at the academy with Naruto?"

"I was helping him with his shuriken technique"

"You know Itachi, meetings are important. You must attend them if you want to keep your ranking as an anbu-", Iruka was rudely cut off by Itachi.

"I'm well aware of that sir, but I value Naruto more than I value meetings, and if they want to take away my rank over that, then so be it"

Mikoto nearly fell out of her seat. What was her son thinking? It was bad enough that the school was scolding her children, but now her son was acting out in front of the Hokage? Everyone stared at Itachi, except for Naruto, who was looking out the window, watching the rain fall.

"Itachi", his mother said sharply. Iruka cleared his throat to break the tension.

"But anyways, there is still not an explanation for what happened today"

"I think Naruto should tell his side of the story first", Itachi said. The blond looked up at Itachi who gave him a comforting look.

"Itachi was teaching me a really cool shuriken technique, but I stopped when I was called over by Kiba. Kiba told me that Sasuke said he wanted to fight me"

"I never said that!", Sasuke snapped.

"Let Naruto continue", Iruka said calmly.

"So I said let's fight, because you know, I had to defend myself. I through the first punch because I didn't want him to", he said quickly in defense.

"But if he didn't hit you first, there was no need to hit him. It makes you look like the attacker", Minato said, trying to keep calm.

"Well he was threatening me, and saying bad things about me. He called me an 'idiot'. So what was I gonna do? Let him call me names?", the fuming adolescent said.

"Calm down", Minato said sternly.

"He thinks he's better than me", Naruto said balling his fists. Sasuke looked down at the ground, ashamed, and unwilling to listen to anymore of the nonsense that came from his rival's mouth.

"He thinks that he is the best, he thinks that he's better than everyone, you can tell by the look on his face", the boy said as he felt a lump begin to form in his throat.

"Naruto", Sasuke said. Naruto looked over at Sasuke, who was now sulking.

"I'm sorry"

Mikoto looked at his son, who was clearly upset by the mess that he had made.

"That's very sweet of you Sasuke", Kushina said with a smile. He returned the smile, happy to know that his apology was accepted by someone.

"If there is one thing I've learned, it's that getting along with people is important. Someday I might be on a team with Naruto, and we'll have to get along with each other. Naruto has been my rival since I first came here, but we took things too far. Fighting to see who was strongest wasn't the right thing to do. Calling Naruto an idiot wasn't the right thing to do either. And I wish it didn't happen. Everyone is mad at me now"

"You want to know what really makes you strong Sasuke?", Iruka asked.

"Your ability to know right from wrong, and having the power to apologize after you've done something wrong. It takes true strength to do that", Iruka said happily. Sasuke and his mother smiled. Naruto's face went from tense to sad. But what about me Iruka? What makes me strong?

"Naruto", Iruka said sternly. Naruto's eyes met Iruka's.

"Your jealousy towards Sasuke is what is stopping you from becoming stronger. Rivalry is healthy, until it is taken too far"

Kushina and Minato shook their heads in agreement. "I will make sure that this rivalry between them will be handled and that Naruto will receive punishment for his actions", Minato said authoritatively.

Naruto had never seen this side of his father before. It wasn't very angry, but something about the way he spoke made it terrifying. His sad cerulean eyes looked at Itachi in terror. Itachi's eyes no longer showed the comfort that they did before, they showed something else that Naruto had seen before. He knew that Itachi couldn't do anything to save him from whatever was going to happen when he got home from school, and he could tell that made him mad.

"School is about to start in a few minutes. Sasuke, let's hear your side of the story"

"I was sitting under a tree with a few of my friends. They started asking me why Itachi hung out with Naruto all the time. I've never understood why Itachi liked Naruto so much, sometimes I felt like he picked him over me. So I told everyone to stop talking about it. Then Kiba overheard us, and started talking about how I was mad because Itachi liked Naruto more than he liked me, and that really hurt"

Mikoto looked at Itachi, disappointed in his neglect of his brother. Itachi still showed the anger in his eyes that only Naruto could understand.

"So my friends stuck up for me, and then Kiba started talking about how Naruto could beat me in a fight. He called Naruto over, and told him that I called him an idiot, so Naruto got angry. He through the first punch, but I used a really strong jutsu against him, and I knew Naruto wouldn't be able to block it. I felt really bad afterwards"

"Well, it sounds like both of you are responsible for what happened. I'm still very disappointed in the two of you, especially you Sasuke. Naruto had to be rushed to the hospital for his injuries, and now he might have a few scars for how badly burned he was. You're very lucky that only his legs got burned. If you had burned his whole body, he might not be alive today"

Sasuke's eyes widened at the thought of killing someone. He may have really disliked Naruto, but he didn't want him to die. He wasn't ready to kill anyone yet, and he didn't want anyone else to die. Naruto was shocked too. He never thought of what would have happened if he didn't dodge the fire.

"As a punishment, you will not be allowed to have recess for the rest of the year. You will stay inside cleaning chalk boards or working on homework. I don't ever want to hear about something like this happening again. You may head to class now you two"

The two boys left the room, leaving the parents, Itachi, and Iruka alone.

"It's time for me to go too", Itachi said. He left the room in complete silence.

"I don't know if there is hope for him", Mikoto said as a tear drop fell from her eye.

"It's okay Mikoto, I'm sure that Itachi is just dealing with the loss of Fugaku harshly. At that age, it's hard to cope with something so devastating. He turned 13 not long ago, you know how being a teen is", Iruka pointed out.

"But what if this goes on for too long. What if he ends up getting hurt. I'm a single parent with three children. It's really hard for me to focus on all of them at once, and it's hard for me to give them all the attention they need"

"Well maybe that's all Itachi wants. Maybe he just wants a little extra attention", Kushina said.

"Maybe"

* * *

Itachi caught up to Naruto before he could walk into the classroom. A few older students about Itachi's age walked past him giving him strange looks and whispering. Itachi was no fool, he knew they were talking about him. Probably about how he's an anbu who hangs around the weirdest kid at the academy.

"Itachi, I'm scared", the blond said in panic.

"There is nothing to be afraid of Naruto. Minato wouldn't hurt you"

"Maybe he won't, but my mom probably would. She's scary"

Itachi chuckled at his remark. It was true that as nice as Kushina appeared to be, she had a very aggressive side that tended to show when she was angry.

"The real reason why they are mad is because you lost. Couldn't you tell? My mother wasn't as mad as yours"

The blond thought for a minute. "Yeah, I guess you're right", he said with disappointment.

"Of course I am, now listen, I want you to sneak out of school during recess and meet me at the dock. I believe you can easily sneak out the back door if no one is watching you. Don't bring anything with you, leave everything you have behind. Don't talk to strangers, and if anyone asks you why you are out of school so early, say that you are heading home because of a family emergency. We need to put our plan to action"

"Now? I didn't know we'd be going so soon. How am I going to tell my family and friends goodbye?", he asked.

"Write them a letter during class and then leave it on the teacher's desk"

"What about you Itachi? Are you gonna write a goodbye letter?", the blond asked curiously.

"No. Now get to class", he said as he gave his favorite academy student a hug.

"Okay Itachi you can let go of me", he said growing flustered.

"You are like the brother I have always wanted. You have so much fire and potential. I believe you have what it takes to be powerful, and I know how badly you want to be. That's why you are more powerful than Sasuke. Sasuke is walking in the steps of his father. He only wants to please everyone around him, he isn't becoming stronger for himself. He tries too hard to be perfect, he's a softie that never questions authority. He wants power, but he is not power hungry like we are", he whispered in his ear.

"Power hungry? I don't get it Itachi", he whined.

"You can call me nii-san from now on", he said giving him a pat on the head while looking at Sasuke who walked into the classroom. He was sure Sasuke had heard that, but he didn't care.

"And you'll understand what I mean some day"

* * *

_To: Mom and Dad_

_From: Naruto_

_Dear mom and dad,_

_I am very sorry for losing that fight against Sasuke. I'm sure that if i had not lost you would not be as angry as you are now. I let you all down and I let Itachi down too. That is why I am leaving with Itachi to become stronger. I'm not sure where we are going but I know that I will be back home by next year. Don't worry about me. I have Itachi by my side and he'll protect me from any harm that comes my way. I love the both of you very very much. I'm sorry if seeing this makes you upset. I hope you two will be fine without me being around for a year or two. Take care, I love you! I know you might be angry about this but when I come back ten times stronger you won't be angry!_

_Your son, Naruto._

* * *

He put it on his teachers desk right after the bell rang for recess. He watched the kids scramble out of the classroom, talking, laughing, pushing each other jokingly. He was going to miss it, he was going to miss it all. He was going to miss playing outside with his friends, the smell of his mother's cooking when he came home, his pet dog Oma, his house, his neighbors, his whole family. Maybe even Sasuke, who was still sitting in his chair with a sad expression on his face.

"Tell Iruka I'm going to the bathroom"

"Can't you hold it until he comes and tell him that you have to go?"

"It's an emergency", he said with a frown.

"I really think you should wait", he said before the blond shut the door behind him.

Doesn't look like an emergency to me. What's his deal? He's not the only one who would rather be outside, why does he sound so upset? And what was that envelope he put on Iruka's desk. And what was Itachi saying about power hungry? I know what it means, but what was he talking about? Whispering into Naruto's ear like they had some secret plan or something

Sasuke decided to wait until Iruka came to tell him where Naruto went, but unusually he was later than usual.

"Where's Naruto?"

"He went to the bathroom, but he told me that ten minutes ago. He should be back by now", Sasuke said worriedly.

"And do you know why he couldn't wait to tell me he had to go?"

"He said it was an emergency. I should have known he wouldn't actually have to go", he said nervously.

"It's okay, it's not your fault. I'm sure he couldn't have gone far. We have teachers in this building who guard doors regularly to make sure students don't leave. Any minute now a teacher will come in with Naruto at their side. But for now, I'll check the bathroom to see if he's still in there"

Sasuke watched Iruka as he left the room. Should I tell him about the letter? Three minutes later Iruka came in through the door.

"He's not there, but boy is he going to be in trouble when he comes back from wherever he went", Iruka said angrily.

"But for now, clean the chalk boards and sharpen pencils for me", he said as he pulled out a pack of pencils from his desk. Sasuke groaned inwardly. He sluggishly got out of his chair and started to sharpen the pencils, angry at his rival for leaving him with all the work.


	4. Father Kakashi

Pencil, after, pencil, after pencil...it never ended. He was so tired of sharpening pencils, and just thinking about doing it again tomorrow made him even more angry.

_I have to sharpen all these stupid pencils as a punishment while Naruto is too much of a baby to face the consequences. It's ridiculous. I hate how he runs away from anything he doesn't want to do._

Sasuke heard Iruka freaking out in the hallway over how he couldn't find Naruto. And for some reason, his curiosity rose. He peaked out the side of the door to look into the hallway, and he spotter Iruka. He was sweaty and finicky, speaking in a projected overly excited tone.

"I don't know where he went. It's been almost an hour and I have a class to teach. We need to find him before The 4th and Kushina come to pick him up"

"How did this happen?"

"I wasn't around and he went to the bathroom! I can't trust that brat! This is why he can't be a genin! He's definitely strong enough to be one but he isn't mature and doesn't do what he's told to do!"

_So Naruto isn't fit to be a genin after all! Just like I thought! He's too stubborn and can't be trusted to follow instructions. I can't imagine how many missions would be failed because of him. If I were a genin, I'd hate to have a dobe like him screwing things up for everyone. And yet my brother thinks he has so much potential and let's him call him "nii-san". It's like he's replacing Naruto with me..._

Sasuke sighed and shook his head. Iruka deserved better than this. Although he wasn't the strongest ninja, Sasuke admired him. He could tell that he was a hard worker, he was also strict, but the good kind of strict. The kind of strict that would make kids get their act together, but still make him a likeable person. Iruka was by far Sasuke's favorite teacher in the whole Academy.

He watched Iruka walk back and he scattered to a seat.

"I know you were listening Sasuke", he said flatly.

"Well you seemed mad"

He watched for a while as Iruka looked out the window watching kids play together and laugh together. He had never seen Iruka with such a strange look on his face. It was a look of concern and disappointment.

"You know Sasuke, I've never been able to understand Naruto. He's a smart kid, and deep down inside I know he's kind...but there's something about him that reeks of trouble. There's something about him that makes him a lot more different than all the other students here..."

"Yeah...he's too attached to my brother, and he doesn't really play with any other kids. He interacts with other students, but as soon as Itachi shows up, he gets all happy and ditches his friends. I've never seen him play with other kids during recess. He usually trains alone, or talks with Itachi"

"Seems like you've got an eye on him", Iruka teased.

"Of course I do, you always keep your eye on the enemy"

"I don't think that's the reason why you keep an eye on him"

"What do you mean?"

"I think you're kind of worried about him. Not just because he's hanging around your brother, but because being his rival has made you understand him and what he's capable of. You know the tricks he pulls, what makes him mad, and what makes him excited. If there's anyone besides Itachi that knows him well, it's you"

His eyes widened. He's never really thought about how well he knew Naruto until Iruka pointed it out. On the outside, everyone thought Naruto was a weirdo obsessed with ramen and becoming a genin. But Sasuke knew more about him than anyone else, he just didn't realize it until now.

"Sasuke, have you ever seen Naruto do anything...unusual"

"Well...", he wanted to start his sentence, but something that was holding him back.

"Out with it Sasuke, I need answers. Have you ever seen Naruto do something that would cause you to be suspicious of him"

"Well he was writing this letter, and placed it on that table before he left. He wouldn't tell me what it was about, but he told me he wanted you to read it"

Iruka picked up the letter from off the desk and opened it. His eyes scanned it vigorously, moving at a speed Sasuke had never seen before.

"What is it Iruka-sensei?"

"We need to find Itachi", Iruka panicked.

"What? Why?", Sasuke asked with a puzzled expression.

"No, we need to tell an administrator, or call his parents", Iruka said quickly.

"I don't understand, what's going-"

"Stay here and don't move", Iruka said before dashing out the door.

"Hey!", he yelled as he left the room to catch up to him.

* * *

Iruka didn't bother to knock, he burst into the office, ignoring the outraged looks on everyone's faces.

"Naruto is missing! He is running away with Itachi, and we need to find him before it's too late!"

"What do you mean he's gone!? He couldn't have gone far, you had your eye on him right?"

"I wasn't in the room and he told Sasuke he was going to the restroom. Sasuke believed him so now he's gone and all that he left behind was this", he said as he handed the letter to the startled man.

He read the letter and before he could finish it he through it on the desk.

"Iruka, alert his parents, now! I'll make sure that the Uchiha Police force go out to find both of them"

"Yes sir- wait, didn't I tell you to stay in that room!", Iruka barked.

"Sorry Iruka, I just had to come with you. I can't stand not knowing what's gonna happen to Naruto and my brother"

"Don't worry about them. We'll find them"

Sasuke nodded, putting all his trust and faith into what was said.

* * *

** 8 years later**

The Uchiha household was never quiet. Aki would always tease Izumi, and Izumi would chase him around the house until Sasuke caught up to them and told them to stop. It was a tough job being the father figure in the house, but he didn't have a choice. He wanted Aki to grow up to be a gentleman and Izumi to grow up to be a lady. They were far from that point, but he wanted to help both of them get there.

"Aki, what do you say to your sister"

"I'm sorry"

"For?"

"For calling you a scrawny tooth pick"

Sasuke sighed at the both of them.

"Aki, you're a chunin, almost ready to be a jounin. Izumi, you're just about to take the chunin exams. Do you think that the both of you are being mature? What if you guys end up on a mission together? I hope you won't embarrass our family name by acting out like this on missions together"

"Sorry", they both said.

"Stop saying sorry and grow up already. Both of you", he muttered before going into the kitchen.

"Thank you so much for keeping those two in line while I'm cleaning"

"It's no problem"

"Sasuke, I mean it when I say this. You're going to be a great father someday"

"Yeah, someday", he said as he went into the fridge.

"Stop eating all the tomatoes"

"Relax, I'll go and pick some up tomorrow"

"Fine", she said in defeat before leaning down against the wall to take a break.

"You work so hard. You're a mother and a Jounin, do you ever take a break?", he said before eating a small tomato.

She laughed as he stared blankly at her blankly, unable to understand why his mother works as much as she does.

"In some crazy way, I love it. I love doing all this work, it gives me a sense of accomplishment"

"I guess that's understandable", he said as he left the kitchen. He headed out for the door, but was stopped by his mother.

"Where are you going?"

"To Kakashi's house"

Mikoto let out a small laugh, one that showed how relieved she felt. "Of course. You are so close to your sensei, it's almost like he's your father"

_At this point, he is my father._

* * *

"Well, well, well, it's the second day in a row that you've stopped by my house wanting to talk to me. You must have a lot on your mind"

"You have no idea", he said as he walked in.

"So what is it this time Sasuke?"

"I'm so frustrated with my life at home. My siblings are such a hassle and my mom is always busy, it's like I never get to talk to her or see her that often"

"That's unfortunate"

"Yeah, and what's worse is that because of my siblings, I can't become an anbu. My mother wants me to stay home and look after my brother and sister. My brother is fourteen for gods sake! He can take care of himself!"

"Whoa there buddy calm down. I know that you want to be an anbu now, but maybe now just isn't the time"

"It's been the time. It's been the time since last year, but nope. Gotta take care of the two biggest brats in Konoha", he said before he fell back into the sofa.

"Well, maybe Mikoto is using them as an excuse"

"Excuse?"

"Yeah, I don't think she wants you to become an anbu"

"Why not? She let my brother become an anbu!"

"Yes, when your dad was around she let him become an anbu, but what you don't know is that when your dad passed away, she wanted him to drop his rank so he could be home more often. Eventually she got over the fact that he didn't want to. It was too late anyways"

"You'll rarely ever hear me complain, but this is so unfair!"

His sensei sighed, understanding how his student felt. "At least you don't keep things bottled up like you used to"

"That was a dark period in my life, let's not talk about that"

He laughed and joined his student on the sofa. "You're past that now aren't you?"

"Somewhat", he grumbled.

"What do you mean somewhat?"

"I don't know, I still feel like my twelve year old self sometimes"

"Sometimes?", he asked as he leaned in, interested in what he had to say.

"Yeah...maybe it's because I still think about my brother a lot. And I'm still angry that he left"

"That's only natural", the older man said as he tried to comfort him.

"Yeah, you're right...but I really do wonder what my life would be like with him around. Sometimes I even wonder what my life would be like if Naruto were still around. Man, was he a handful. I can't imagine how the fourth and Kushina put up with him"

"The fourth was my sensei, I'm sure he disciplined him a lot as a child, and Kushina definitely did the same. I was at the hospital when Naruto was born ya know?"

Sasuke chuckled and Kakashi looked at him in confusion.

"What's so funny?"

"I don't know why I'm laughing at that, it's actually really sad. You could've been his sensei, his parents could've seen him grow up for a little longer, I could have been his teammate, and maybe if he stopped clinging to Itachi, he could've been my friend. We were rivals, but we also could have been friends at one point"

"It's all in the past. Can't control it", he said as he put his hands behind his head.

"I know, but I'm sure I'm not the only one who wonders where they are. When I was a kid I believed in Iruka when he said they were going to find the both of them"

"To be blunt, I didn't believe him at all. With your brother's behavior and ability to influence Naruto, something this bad was bound to happen"

* * *

**Author's Note: Yaaay time skip. I you might be confused about why, but you'll see! Keep reviewing! Thank you :) **


	5. Official

**Author's Note: I decided to make most of the story in Sasuke's point of view. I decided that it would be an on and off sort of thing. I hope that doesn't really bother anyone.**

* * *

After a long talk with Kakashi, I decided to head home. I didn't mind the long walk back, Konoha was just as beautiful at night. Everything about the town had a certain glow to it at any time of the day and he admired it.

"Hi Sasuke-kun", I hear a chipper voice say.

I look over to see Sakura heading in my direction, and inwardly cringed.

"Hello Sakura"

"I just got back from a mission, what are you doing out so late at night alone?"

"It's not that late, it's only ten. I just left Kakashi's house"

"I see", she says as she picked at her nails nervously.

_She hasn't changed a bit. She still gets shy when I'm around her, she still has that odd habit of picking at her nails, and she still tries to say something to me every chance she gets._

"Did you want anything in particular?", I ask curiously.

"Well, sort of", she says with a blush.

"Make it quick", I grumble.

"A date...I want to go on a date with you"

I sigh, and rub one of my temples with my index and middle finger. Nothing Sakura said surprised me at all. She's been asking me on dates since we were genin's. I'd always say no, but now that we've both matured, I see things differently. Going on a date with her doesn't sound so bad anymore. The only issue is that I'm not that into her, and even if I was, I'd never have the time to be with her. I have obnoxious siblings to take care of.

"Sorry, my life is kind of hectic right now. I can't settle down and go on a date with you, I just don't have the time", I say politely.

The old me would've brutally rejected her, not caring about her feelings. But having a younger sister makes you realize how sensitive girls are when it comes to being rejected. You always have to be polite when doing so.

"And to be honest, I don't think it's best that we engage in any romantic activity. We're teammates"

"I understand", she says as she slowly begins to look down at the floor.

Trust me, I feel just as bad as she does. Looking at her kind of reminds me of looking at Izumi when she came home crying because a boy broke her heart. The asshole jokingly asked her out, and she took him seriously. I made sure he learned his lesson after that. He won't be breaking any hearts for a while.

"But you're a great girl Sakura, you know that. You're smart, strong, and kind hearted. You deserve someone who will dedicate their time to you. You're special"

Okay, so maybe I lied a bit to her, but what do you do when a girl is about to cry? You tell her all the cliche things she wants to hear.

"Thank you Sasuke-kun", she says with a shy smile and a rosy blush.

"I have to get home now. If I come home late my mother won't be happy. I'll see you around", I say as I continue to walk home.

"Bye Sasuke-kun!"

* * *

When I got home, I could hear my mother talking with another familiar voice. The asshole decided to drop by today.

I took off my shoes and headed to the kitchen where my she was fully engaged in a conversation with her romantic interest. They've known each other while now, but she doesn't call him her "boyfriend" because it's "not official yet". When that day comes, I will move out of this house and become an anbu. He'll be the one to look after my bratty siblings.

"You're finally back", my mother says with a welcoming smile.

"Yeah, I know I'm a few minutes late. I ran into Sakura"

"You mean your girlfriend, right?", the man across the table teases.

"Yeah", I say sarcastically as I roll my eyes.

"How is Kakashi doing?", she asks.

"He's doing well. Hasn't been on many missions lately, but neither have I"

"Yes, it's great that you haven't been on many missions lately. Last month you weren't around the house that often. I'm so glad you're finally around to help"

"Mhm", I say as I stare at the rose on the table.

"Pretty right", my mother says as she admires the rose.

"Very pretty", I say with a fake half smile.

"Isn't he such a gentle man?", she says as she leans in teasingly to the man across the table.

I know, I should be happy for my mother and what not, but I can't stand to see her with someone besides my father. It doesn't feel right, and I'm not the type to just trust anyone. It's my instinct to protect my family, and it was especially important to protect my mother. The man she's dating does not belong to my clan.

"I always try to be", he said confidently.

I also found him to be weird and corny. I didn't know what my mother saw in him. He seems like a simple minded air head, unlike my father who was an intelligent ninja. This man was a common villager, he never went to the academy as a child, but he did have some form of education. That education didn't matter to me. I'd always considered ninja's the smartest people in the village, so in my eyes, he was no one special.

"Good to know", I say as I pick up the rose to inspect it.

"So, tell him the good news", he says before winking at her.

She laughs, and I could tell that this "good news" was going to be bad news. I was not in the mood to hear bad news.

"It's official", she says with a smile.

Her words made me feel like I was on a sinking ship, and I tried my best to keep a hold of my plastic smile.

"Congratulations", I say with fake excitement.

"I know, isn't it great!", she says excitedly.

"I'm planning on moving in sometime soon too. That means I'll get to be around the whole family"

I force myself to laugh and pretend to be happy for them. It was getting harder and harder by the second.

"An extra hand to help out around the house", she says in a way that makes me hope she's joking.

"Well, if he's here then that means I can become an anbu, right? He'll be around to help out",

They both stare at each other before bursting out into laughter, and I clench my jaw to prevent myself from losing my cool.

"Oh Sasuke, you're so funny", she says as she waves her hand back and forth like she's swatting away a fly.

"I was being serious"

His laughter gradually comes to a stop, but my mother is still laughing. This time, the laugh is different. It's more nervous, and I can tell that she's very uncomfortable with the subject.

"Always in such a hurry to grow up", she says to him.

"I don't blame him, I was when I was his age", he says before winking at me.

_Kami, why would you do this to me? What have I done wrong?_

"You Uchiha's are always in a rush to move up a rank"

"Because we're prodigies. We deserve our rankings", I gloat.

"Yes, a very smart clan indeed", he says as he nods his head in agreement.

"But you're only fifteen Sasuke, you should take the time to think things through. Are you sure you're ready to handle such a heavy responsibility?", he asks.

His question makes me want to strike him across the face. _Of course I'm ready to handle it! What would you know about me anyways?_

"I've been a jonin since last year, but I've never failed a single mission. I work hard every day, and it doesn't go unnoticed. The fourth even told me I would be a great addition to an anbu squad. He says that I'm a leader that a lot of people would look up to"

"We'll talk about this tomorrow Sasuke", my mother says. Her hand is signaling me to go away, dismissing me from their "special" alone time.

"Why are you ignoring me?", I ask as calmly as I possibly could.

"Now's just not the time", she replies.

"It never is", I say as throw the rose on the table and walk out of the room.

* * *

I wake up when I hear a knock on my bedroom door, but never bother to say "come in".

"Sasuke?"

It's my mother's voice, another reason to just go back to sleep.

"Sasuke, can we talk?", she asks using her overly-caring-mother voice.

"I'm tired", I reply flatly.

"It's noon", she says sounding unimpressed by my response.

I sigh as I slowly get up out of the bed.

"I have a mission tomorrow, so I'm trying to get as much sleep as possible today"

"I know that, but it's also good that we talk", she says before sitting on my bed.

"About last night right?"

"Yes", she says with a sigh.

"Sasuke, you know I want nothing but the best for you, and I know it's hard for you to be happy for me. I'm not a fool, I'm your mother, and I know when something makes you unhappy"

"Like?", I question.

"Like last night when you found out that it was official. I know you don't like him, he's an outcast to you, but to me, he's someone I hold close to my heart and respect. So you need to respect him too"

"I'm aware of that"

"And I'm also unsure of how I feel about you becoming an anbu"

"Why is that?"

"I...It's just that…"

"Just tell me", I say as I grow impatient. I can't help my eagerness. I wanted her approval, I **needed** her approval. If she _can't_ approve, it _won't_ happen.

"I'm afraid of losing you", she says softly.

I look into her eyes and see sadness, fear, and a hint of regret. Something's bothering her. There's more to this.

"You can't stop a caterpillar from turning into a butterfly. Somethings are meant to happen", I say as I lift the covers off my body.

"It's my destiny, I don't think you fully understand that. I don't mean any harm when I say this, but I think you're being a bit selfish. You're only thinking about your feelings. What about mine? Do you really know how badly I want this?"

Her eyes water, and a tear rolls down her face. I can't bear to watch the tears fall.

"Mom?", I say to get her attention.

"I'm sorry Sasuke, I just can't lose you, I can't", she says before breaking down into tears.


	6. Thank you Hokage-Sama

I hug my mother to comfort her. I know how scared she is, and it's understandable.

"Itachi grew up too fast, you're on your way to becoming an anbu, I'm pretty sure Aki has a girlfriend, I caught Izumi trying to put on my make up! You don't understand how scary it is for a mother to realize her kids are growing up!", she cries.

_Aki has a girlfriend? Izumi putting on make-up? She's only nine years old…_

"It's okay mom"

I wished I had sounded more reassuring, but what was I supposed to say? It's moments like this that make me wish my father was still around. His death is the reason why our family is so out of control. I can only imagine the lecture he'd give Izumi about makeup, and boy, would he have fun lecturing Aki about girls. Too bad I have a feeling this is going to be my job.

"Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?", I ask empathetically.

"I don't know...I guess I'm the only one who has a problem with all of this. Everything's so overwhelming, and I still need to tell Izumi and Aki that things are official between Kyo and I"

"I'll tell them"

"You will?"

Her voice sounds hopeful, as if I've taken the burden off her shoulders. It's slightly annoying that I have to do this for her. She's a good mother, but when it comes to telling difficult news, she always relies on me to do it.

"Can you also talk to Izumi and Aki about…"

I sigh, trying to keep my cool.

"I'll try", I grumble.

Her crying becomes less hysterical, and I can tell that what I'd said helped her calm down.

"Thank you Sasuke, I don't know what I'd do without you. That's why I'm so afraid of you becoming an anbu"

"Everything's going to be fine", I counsel to her.

* * *

"Alright you two, listen up"

Aki and Izumi are sitting on the floor in my room with curious faces. I'm less than excited to talk to them, but someone's gotta do it. I'd be pissed off if someone randomly moved into my house without me knowing.

"Mom's made things official with Kyo, and he's moving into our house soon"

"What?! Are you serious?!", Aki whines.

"Yes! I love Kyo!", my sister shouts with joy.

"Calm down, both of you", I scold.

"I can't believe this is happening. Why is she with that loser?"

"I don't know Aki, I honestly do not know", I say as I feel a headache coming on.

"Don't call Kyo a loser! He's nice to me!", she yells.

"Because you're the youngest, and you're also a girl", Aki reminds her with a poor attitude.

"So? I'm sure he's nice to you guys too, what has he ever done to you guys huh?"

"Stop this", I demand. Although I say it in a serious tone, it's not enough to get them to stop bickering.

"Well first of all, he's the corniest person I've ever talked to in my life. Always smiling for no goddamn reason!"

"Watch your language", I snap at Aki. As much as I want to laugh at what he said, I have to remember I am the oldest, and that I can't approve of his behavior right now.

"He clogged the toilet one day too! You remember that, right Izumi?"

Izumi doesn't respond, and my eyes widen.

"Did he really?", I ask sounding horrified by the thought of having to unclog that toilet.

"Yeah, and you know who had to unclog it? Me! Because you were away on a mission! I mean, come on mom, he's your boyfriend, not mine! So why did it have to be my responsibility?", he whines.

"I'm sure he didn't mean to", Izumi says in defense.

"You just don't poop in other people's houses", I tell Izumi.

"Exactly!", Aki says as if I'd made an award winning statement.

"And if you had to do the job, I'm sure you'd feel differently", he says harshly to her.

"Okay I get it, he's corny, he clogs toilets, but is that really enough for him to get under both of your skins?!", Izumi yells.

"You don't understand Izumi! You were only a baby when Dad passed away!", he yells back at her.

Instead of stopping him, I let him rant. I understand how frustrated he is, Izumi just won't be able to understand.

"What does that have to do with anything?!", she asks in defense.

"It has to do with a lot of things! Okay?! You will never know how great of a father he was! Do you understand how much it hurts to have someone so great be replaced by someone who's so...I can't even think of a word that would describe him accurately!"

I remain emotionless, but in my head I'm nodding in agreement.

"What if I took your favorite doll, smashed it, and then gave you a sock puppet in return? Would you be satisfied? Would that replacement be good enough for you? Would any replacement be good enough for you?", he says on the verge of tears.

Izumi stays silent, and I can tell she's close to crying too.

"No...there is no replacement that is good enough...to replace someone or something that you once held close to you"

The room is silent as Izumi and I watched the tears fall down Aki's face.

"At least you got to meet him"

The silence had been broken, and Izumi breaks down into tears, which doesn't surprise me. This whole day has been nothing but tears and angst. It almost makes me want to cry too...almost.

Aki leaves the room, and I'm torn between staying with Izumi and going after him. Luckily, I heard the door open, knowing that my mother has come back from grocery shopping.

I rush down the stairs to talk to her.

"Is something wrong?", she asks with concern.

"Aki and Izumi are crying. I need you to talk to Izumi"

"What happened? Did they get into another fight again?", she teases.

"No"

The word is brittle and slightly harsh, but it's the least of my concern.

"I told them about Kyo moving in"

She nods her head, understanding why they'd both be upset.

"I'm busy right now Sasuke, I still have to-"

"No. Don't give me that excuse", I say cutting her off.

She sighs, and puts the groceries on the floor.

"I get it, I should've known this wouldn't be simple enough for only one person to handle"

"She's in my room", I inform her.

She walks in one direction, and I walk in the other.

* * *

"Hey", I say calmly.

Aki is on his bed with his pillow in his face. I take a deep breath before walking over to comfort him.

"I know this is hard for you, but I don't want you to feel alone, and I don't want you to be rude to Kyo when he moves in"

He doesn't respond.

"You know, I lost dad too", I remind him.

"I know", he says softly after taking his face out of the pillow.

"You're so young...there is so much more you need to learn about life, and the one thing you should learn is that life goes on. We can't stop Kyo from moving in. Bad things happen, but it's how you handle it"

He nods his head in agreement, and I embrace him in my arms for the first time since we were little kids.

"So I hear you have a girlfriend", I say to change the subject.

"What!?"

I chuckle at how shocked he is, and I thank god that he's not as upset as he was before.

* * *

This evening, Minato stopped by to visit us. I wasn't expecting the hokage to come to our house, and it would've been nice if I had been warned.

"May I come in?", he asks.

My hair is a bit messy, and I look like I haven't gotten any sleep. This is embarrassing.

"Of course"

He walks inside, and I can't take my eyes off him.

"I didn't know you were going to stop by", I let him know.

"I thought your mother told you", he says with a smirk

"Yeah, I thought she would've told me too", I grumble.

"So, what's going on? I don't mean to be rude, but why are you here?", I ask politely.

"I came here to discuss important matters with you and your mother"

I nod my head, and I lead him to where my mother would usually be, and sure enough, she's sitting near the fireplace.

She turns around and smiles at us.

"Sorry I forgot to tell you Sasuke", she says before letting out nervous laughter.

"It's fine", I say holding back my anger.

"Good evening", she says to Minato.

He takes a seat next to her, and I do the same.

"I wanted to talk to the both of you about how much I need Sasuke on an anbu squad"

I smile, knowing that today might be the day where she is finally convinced.

"His skills, his work ethic, his ability to be a leader, we need that Mikoto"

I nod in agreement, and my mother gives him a small smile.

"I know that, and I've been thinking a lot lately about how much he deserves such a high position. Things are different now, since I won't be needing him around the house so much anymore. Kyo is moving in"

"That's wonderful", he says sounding proud of the "big move".

"Yes, it is wonderful. Now, I'll have more help around the house, so I won't need Sasuke to be home as often anymore"

There's happiness, and disappointment in her voice. It's obvious she wants me to move on in life, but even more obvious that she doesn't want to let me go.

"So, does this mean that you approve?", he asks.

She hesitates before nodding her head, and I'm surprised by how quickly things have been resolved. Today started off pretty bad, but this makes up for all the shit I had to deal with. I can't believe I'm finally going to be on an anbu squad.

"Congratulations Sasuke"

On the outside, I'm happy, but on the inside, I feel victorious and ecstatic.

"Tomorrow will be your last mission on team seven, and after that, I'll let you meet your squad members"

"Thank you...so much", I say with gratitude.

"No Sasuke, thank you. You're going to be a great leader", he says with a smile.

"So that's it. Nothing else to tell us?", my mother asks.

"Well, there's something else I wanted to tell the both of you"

There's uneasiness in his voice, and I can tell it can't be good.

"Is it about Itachi?", I ask softly.

It was just a guess, but when I look at him, I know I'm right.

"Yes"


End file.
